Don't Follow Me
by CuttlestheFish
Summary: Makoto was never open about what happened to her parents, why she lives on her own, or how she got such a reputation for being so dangerous. But when some old friends of hers from the next town over come for a visit, Makoto finally comes clean. Contains slight Makomi.


Hello friends, I hope you enjoy my first submission for this place. I don't have any guarantees as to when future updates will happen, but chapter 2 is already started on. :) Enjoy!

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><p>"Alright, see you guys tomorrow." Shouted the bun haired middle schooler to her friends as they all separated from the arcade. Makoto waved to everybody and headed off, she tilted her head upward. She could feel a storm coming and she didn't bring her umbrella, it was best to get home quickly... But did she have enough time to buy some more nutmeg on her way home? With Valentine's day coming up she would need it to bake her famous cookies for the boys at school. She kicked up her feet and quickened her pace to almost a jog down the street.<p>

Clouds had already blocked out the sun when Makoto exited the little supermarket down the street from her apartment building. Oh great, she thought as she started jogging down the street. What started off as two drips here and there grew into a light sprinkling. Makoto could see her apartment building, but what were those lights to the left? A large car pileup had recently occurred not twenty minutes ago and the ambulances had just left with the victims. Makoto let curiosity get the better of her and checked out the investigation. She asked a witness if everyone was alright, thankfully nobody was seriously injured. She sighed a little, but soon she felt her stomach drop as a low rumbling grew into a roar up ahead. A news helicopter had decided to brave the weather and get an arial view. Everyone in the crowd turned and waved at the copter, but Makoto could only stand perfectly still, her breath caught in her chest. The sound... The sound was too much. She clapped her hands to her ears and bolted. She had to escape the noise, she didn't care who she pushed over in the crowd so long as she could get away. She fled to her apartment, tore open the door, locked it from the inside, but the sound could still be faintly heard. She could feel her hands trembling, her knuckles turning white due to the tight grip she held on her school bag. She banged on the door with her free hand, out of frustration or fear or reflex she didn't know, and sank to the floor. She cupped her hands in her ears again, praying that the sound would go away.

"Makoto?" A shy voice called out. Makoto's eyes tore open and scanned the room. Down the hallway from around the corner poked the blue head of Ami. "Goodness, what... What happened?" Ami and Usagi had decided to study together and thought that surprising Makoto with a visit would be the best idea since Usagi's house was too full of distractions and Ami's house was too far away. Besides, Makoto was the best cook out of all the scouts. Ami ran to Makoto's side with Usagi not far behind.

"Woah girl, you look like a mess!" The bun haired slacker murmured. At the sight of her friends, Makoto suddenly felt herself calm down. The first time she met Usagi, the leader of their group, she was always known as the strong one. Was this the first time the two had even seen her cry? Makoto stood up and began dusting her wet uniform instinctively.

"I... I was just a bit surprised at that accident. Did you guys hear it? I'm surprised we didn't hear the bang from the arcade." The two other girls looked at each other and shook their heads to Makoto.

"Makoto, you really look frazzled, is there-?" Ami started.

"Hey, who wants tea? I'll go heat up some water." Makoto shoved past Ami, who reached out an arm but received no response, and paced angrily into the kitchen. As she was filling the teapot, a tiny black figure brushed past her legs. "Hey Luna" grumbled Makoto, the cat flicked her tail at the tall girl.

"Hello to you too" retorted the cat "I see you had a strange reaction to that accident and what was attracted to it." Makoto glared at Luna, wondering how far she could kick the little fuzzball before anyone noticed. Luna didn't remove her gaze. "Jupiter..." She began. Makoto ignored the cat and stepped over her to the stove. "Did you sense the Enemy?" continued the cat "Maybe Tuxedo Mask was in the crowd? Did you see anything out of place?" Makoto sighed.

"Nothing out of the ordinary, I just... Got a little spooked at the wreck." She mumbled. Luna sighed as well. Now that Makoto was in hard mode, it was going to take more energy than it was worth to get her to talk about anything. The cat exited the kitchen to join the other two girls in the living room. Makoto took the time to escape into her bedroom and change out of her wet uniform and into an indoor outfit. She hung up her uniform, next to the photo of her old friends from her last school, and... Her eyes glanced down to an almost empty pack of cigarettes. She smirked, sometimes she would get visits from her old friends and they would leave their trash in her apartment. She shook her head, what slobs, and picked up the pack to throw it away. But before she had turned around, she suddenly had an odd taste in her mouth. It would be almost half a year since she had last smoked, and she had never really had any trouble quitting. So why, all of a sudden, did she have the desire to dig up her old lighter, the pewter one with the rose engraved on it that her old friends had given her? She scoffed at the idea and rightly tossed the box into the trash. She headed out into the kitchen just as the teapot started whistling.

"Yo, Makoto" called out Usagi "Ami and I brought over this awesome new cookbook her mom bought. You wanna try some new recipes?" She couldn't help from smiling when she entered the room to see her friends, the rain pattering against the roof, drowning out anything that might try and intrude. Finally, things could go back to the way they were.

"Sure, you guys know my kitchen is always ready. What were you in the mood for?" The three friends chatted away the afternoon, with cooking, homework and a movie afterward to follow. Luna picked her usual spot on the cushioned wicker chair in the corner, she couldn't take her eyes off the brunette guardian. _If one guardian cannot keep herself together in this life, then there's no hope that the team will hold together for the princess._ She thought to herself. The guardian of Jupiter was hiding something, and the cat was determined to find out.

It was going to be a lonely day at the shrine. Rei had less energy than usual when performing her usual tasks. Her grandfather had scuttled off for a nap so she had the whole area to herself for the most part. She was leaning against one of the posts in the shrine, listening to the rain falling and petting her ravens (Phobos and Deimos) when a small figure captured her attention. It was a little old woman, hunched over in the rain. Her hair and clothing were soaked but she didn't seem to pay any heed. She was dressed in a traditional green dress and carried a small package in her arms covered in a black cloth. Rei bowed when the woman came into the shade.

"Welcome to the Hikawa Shrine, pleasant journeys to you" she said. The woman bowed in thanks.

"It's a beautiful temple." The woman's voice was like a gentle foggy sunrise, Rei noticed she had the deepest green eyes. The woman gave the traditional penance to the shrine and rang the bell, saying a small prayer. Rei turned away, giving the woman her respectful distance. "Would you mind if I stayed here until the rain let up a bit? I left my umbrella at the hotel, you see." The woman began peeling the cloth away from her item, a worried look on her face. Rei smiled.

"Of course, our shrine is open to any traveler in need of refuge." The woman smiled as she folded the cloth and was now using it to wipe down the now uncovered items it once shielded. It was a little framed photograph. Rei's curiosity overcame her sense of etiquette and couldn't help from staring. The women smiled warmly at her.

"My daughter and son in law with their little girl." The woman sighed as her arm stilled. "This had to have been taken about... Nine years ago was it? Yes... Makoto was six if I'm correct." Rei tilted her head.

"I know a girl named Makoto. It's a beautiful name." She said, inviting the woman to sit with her on a small bench around the corner of the shrine. The woman accepted her invitation and the two sat together. Rei took a closer look at the photograph and began noticing certain features that were all too familiar... "Say..." She said. "What brings you out here anyway? Are you visiting someone?" The woman shook her head.

"No... I'm actually a traveler. I never got to see much of the world in my youth and always wished it for my daughter, Nagesa. So when she married into a wealthy family and had that opportunity I didn't hold her back. Not even when they had a little girl of their own to worry about." The woman's voice began to fade as she stared ahead. Rei turned away and stroked Deimos's head, for he had perched on her shoulder at that moment. She was all too used to hearing stories from grieving families. The rain did not let up after ten minutes had gone by. Rei finally decided to break the tension.

"You... Said your granddaughter's name was Makoto, right?" The woman nodded.

"Oh yes, she would be... Fifteen by now." The woman held out the photograph for Rei. The little girl in the photograph had emerald eyes and a thick head of wavy brunette hair cut short to fall around her face. Rei didn't want to jump to conclusions, she was never the type to, but she couldn't help but wonder.

"Um, miss, if it isn't a rude question, where is she now?" The woman pulled a strand of white hair back behind her ear.

"Oh... You know how youth can take us places... She, she ran away from me. From home, I mean. That is also why I travel." Rei felt a chill go down her spine. "I just want to see her again."

"I see..." She whispered. The two were silent again, the rain making the only conversation. Finally, Rei worked up the nerve. "W-Where are you headed next?" The woman looked out and watched as a bus pulled in for a stop and was dispensing travelers.

"Well, I'm headed south, towards Osaka, I'm pretty much following the coastline. When I reach the southern peak, I turn around and try going northwards. I know that's where she headed the last time the police had reported on her whereabouts to me, that she was just heading south." Rei could feel her curiosity slowly eating away at her conscience, she scratched Deimos's head a little more vigorously. She took a deep breath to collect her nerves and build up her professional persona.

"Well, I hope the gods may shine favor to you. While I cannot promise anything, we do get many travelers every day. If you like, I can keep an eye out for her. Is there a number I can contact you with?" It wasn't the first time she volunteered to keep watch for runaway children or lost loved ones for grieving families. The woman turned to Rei with a tired smile on her face.

"Oh, aren't you the sweetest thing? That would mean the world to me, thank you so much." The woman pulled a tiny slip of paper and a pen from her purse and scribbled a few numbers on it. "Unfortunately, this is only the number to my hotel room. I can't exactly afford any of those newfangled mobile telephones, but I'll be staying for a few weeks. I really do appreciate the kindness, you really are a saint." Rei blushed a little at the woman's sudden burst of chatter, she noticed that the woman's volume also rose louder and louder with each compliment. It was as if Rei's act of kindness had given the poor woman a recharge for her batteries.

After another ten minutes the rain had let up enough to where she could travel. The woman thanked Rei and scuttled down the sidewalk, this time with a bouncier step. Rei couldn't stop smiling for a long time that day. She waited for about five minutes to look at the name on the paper, not knowing what to think if her speculations were true. She slowly unfolded the tiny slip, Futaba Miyashita. Rei grunted and stuffed the paper into one of her pockets. Why on earth was she suddenly so curious about this? It's none of her business anyway about what goes on in Mako's life. But even still... it wouldn't hurt to ask, would it? If anything to at least help that woman. After all, it was her job to help people, both in and out of the sailor suit. Rei picked up a broom and began sweeping the back steps.


End file.
